One Cup of Blackmail
by TrueDarkHorse
Summary: All Kagome wanted was to go to a good school and take care of her family. She didn't ask for secrets in her family, her whole class's attention, or to be a part of some club. She definitely didn't ask to be blackmailed by some rich, devious jerk with daddy issues! And why does he keep showing up at her job!


**Author's Notes:** I was in the middle of rewriting the chapters of "An Unexpected Savior" and wanted to take a break and decided to write the first couple chapters of my next Ouran story. Rating may be subject to change.

Enjoy.

* * *

Ms. Higurashi slid a pamphlet over to the other side of the table.

Kagome looked at it, then back at her mother. "What's this?" She asked.

"Well." Her mother started. "It's the surprise I was telling you about."

She looked back down at the paper and picked it up this time. With a quick glance she could tell it was a brochure for a school. There were smiling teens on the front in uniforms, laughing and talking with one another. In the background she guessed must have been the school. It was a grand looking building. One she knew her family could never afford for her to go to.

"It's a school brochure." She stated.

Her mom nodded.

Both of them exchanged looks. Kagome waited in confusion for her mother to continue. She seemed to be trying to gather her thoughts so she politely waited.

"I know that you want to help us out here at the shrine." She said, finally talking again. "You've been a great help here but don't you want to finish your education?" She asked, her expression a bit solemn.

Kagome sighed in annoyance. They had already talked about this before. While she was in the feudal era, her missing work had been piling up. After coming back, she struggled to finish the previous work and the new assignments the rest of the class was being given. Eventually they had to kick her out due to her lack of attendance and low grades. After that, she worked at the shrine full time with her grandfather.

"I told you mom. I'm okay with working at the shrine like this."

Ms. Higurashi fiddled with her fingers and went quiet again, as if she was debating whether she should say something.

Kagome slightly shook her head. "Mom, just say whatever you're thinking." She told her in an attempt to receive an actual explanation.

Ms. Higurashi closed her eyes as she spoke. "I know that you still keep up with your studies even after you left school." She said.

"I can't like learning?" Kagome asked, still somewhat annoyed she was going through this conversation again.

"It's not that!" She quickly said. "I just think that you would be happier if you went back to school."

Kagome looked back down at the brochure. "Thank you for the wishful thinking but there's no way I could get into this school." She said. _'_ _They'd never let me in with my educational background and we definitely can't pay for tuition.'_ She thought to herself.

"You don't need to worry about getting in." Her mother told her.

She raised an eyebrow at her.

"We can get you admission." She said. "We um...ran into some money." Her mother looked away from her as she said that.

An alarm went off in Kagome's head. "Ran into money?" She repeated, skeptical. "How?" Her mind was shifting through all of the possible reasons her mother would be secretive about money and none of them were good.

A flash of irritation showed on her mom's face but quickly flicked away. "That's not important..." She trailed off.

"I begged to differ." Kagome muttered.

"Kagome, I know you can make your own decisions." She told her. "It's your choice whether you want to go."

Kagome could feel a "but" coming on.

She didn't say anything after that, as if that was the end of the conversation.

"...That's it?" Kagome questioned. "You're not going to...try to talk me into it?"

She simply shook her head and stood back up. "I ask only that you at least look at what the school offers before you make your decision." She told her before she left the room.

Kagome sat in the room alone with the pamphlet. Her eyes traveled back towards the pamphlet that laid innocently on the table.

 _'My decision.'_

* * *

As Ms. Higurashi walked out of the room, Gramps gestured her over to him. He had a serious expression on his face. She clenched her fists as she reluctantly walked towards him.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked.

"I'm merely giving Kagome an option."

He crossed his arms. "You know what will happen if she says yes. Do you really think you should keep this from her?"

"If I were to tell her..." Her fists unfurled. "She'll without a doubt decline without a second thought."

"Even if she were to do that, don't you think she still has the right to know what will be expected if she takes this offer?"

She looked back into the room and watched Kagome open up the pamphlet. She turned back to him, smiling. "I know what's best for my girl."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Let's see what Kagome will decide to do. Her first big decision of all to come.

See you next time.


End file.
